RAB Thoughts

August 14th, 2020: Infield Defense, Bullpen, Trade Targets, Happ, Tanaka, Mailbag

I have a confession: I kinda dig the extra innings tiebreaker rule. The Yankees haven't played an extra innings game yet, but I've seen it in action elsewhere around the league, and I like the chaos. I don't miss marathon extra innings games -- they're more fun as a concept than in reality -- and teams haven't gone overboard with bunts (yet). Not ready to say the rule should become permanent bu...

August 10th, 2020: Stanton, Judge, Hicks, Cole, Ottavino, Trade Deadline

Good article by Marc Carig and Patrick Mooney (subs. req'd) detailing how the Yankees (and Cubs) have turned the team hotel into a bubble on road trips. They gobble up all available outdoor space and conference rooms, and provide pla...

August 7th, 2020: Andujar, Happ, Sanchez, Chapman, Mailbag

If not for the expanded postseason format, this weekend's four games in three days series at Tropicana Field would have been a Very Big Deal. Instead, it feels like just another series to me. Maybe that'll change at first pitch, but the expanded postseason has eliminated some of the drama. Oh well. Hope you're all staying safe/sane and thanks as always for the support. Now let's get to today's ...

August 4th, 2020: Judge, Tanaka, What We've Missed, Paxton, Roster Moves

Nine games into the season -- 15% of the schedule -- the Yankees are 8-1 for only the third time in franchise history. They also did it in 1988 and 2003. According to FanGraphs, their postseason odds have gone from 72.9% (preseason with old format) to 91.4% (preseason with new format) to 99.0% (today)....

Thoughts after Tommy Kahnle goes down with Tommy John surgery

I'm gonna miss Tommy Tightpants. (Getty)

The pitching injury epidemic has hit the Yankees: Tommy Kahnle will undergo Tommy John surgery. He struck out the side Sunday, had forearm tightness Tuesday, an...

July 31st, 2020: Schedule, Kahnle, Happ, Sanchez, Gardner, Torres, Ford, Chapman, Montgomery, Tanaka, Mailbag

The season is a week old but it doesn't feel like it. What a year this week has been. The Yankees are 4-1 (10.8-2.7) and they will play their first home game at Yankee Stadium later tonight, two days after they were originally scheduled to play their first game in the Bronx. "We’re drinking out of a fire hose right now on all this stuff," Brian Cashman said earlier this week. Let's get to tod...

July 27th, 2020: COVID-19, Paxton, Verlander, Abad, Happ

The Yankees won games started by Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin this weekend and lost a game in which Stephen Strasburg was scratched and replaced by Erick Fedde. Go figure. Gotta say though, the new postseason format has taken some of the edge off. Corbin mowed the Yankees down Sunday and I caught myself feeling frustrated, then I remembered it doesn't matter because there isn't a significant...

July 24th, 2020: Opening Day, Expanded Postseason, Betts, Mailbag

Every game this season is equivalent to 2.7 games in a 162-game season, so the Yankees are currently 2.7-0. Aside from the annoying rain delay, I'm not sure we could've scripted a better Opening Day win. Gerrit Cole tossed a complete game one-hitter and the offense banged against a three-time Cy Young winner. Max Scherzer allowed four earned runs last night. He allowed four earned runs in his p...

July 23rd, 2020: Opening Day Roster, Rotation, Bold Predictions

Hooray baseball. (Photo via Presswire)

Weather permitting, the Yankees will open the 60-game 2020 season later tonight against the defending World Series champion Nationals in Washington. 2020-07-23 17:52:01 +0000 UTC View Post

July 21st, 2020: Exhibition Games, 30-Man Roster, German, Warren

Summer Camp started a few weeks ago but only now do I feel like baseball is really, truly back. The Yankees played other teams (!) in exhibition games the last three nights and it felt ... normal. It felt normal watching actual baseball games again even though not much about this season is normal. The next time the Yankees play, the game will count. That's fun. Let's get to today's post.

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July 17th, 2020: Intrasquad Games, 30-Man Roster, Green, 2020 Draft, Paxton, Mailbag

The regular season is less than a week away and once teams begin traveling, the league's COVID-19 protocols will really be put to the test. "We got four months to go out and win a championship. We want everybody on the field. You can spit and chew sunflower seeds and go to a restaurant once this is all over with," Aaron Judge said two weeks ago. It only takes one person doing something the...

July 14th, 2020: Chapman, Bullpen, Rotation, Sanchez, Happ, Herrera, Frazier

Tigers prospect Riley Greene made a spectacular Endy Chavez-esque catch in left field during yesterday's intrasquad game. Here's the video. I bring this up because look at that joke of a swing. I know C.J. Cron has power but good gravy. Is that one weird batted ball or a sign the rocket ball is com...

July 10th, 2020: LeMahieu, Cessa, Andujar, Rotation, Extra Innings, Frazier, Mailbag

The Yankees still have two open spots on the 60-man roster and you know, CC Sabathia is looking mighty fit these days. He's been hanging around the team in his special advisor role the last few days and there's room in the bullpen for another left-hander. In all seriousness, Sabathia looks great. ...

July 6th, 2020: COVID-19, Tanaka, LeMahieu, Cessa, 30-Man Roster, Schedule, All-Star Game, Hicks, German

The Yankees played the Yankees tonight and the Yankees won, I think. The pitchers looked way ahead of the hitters, which isn't surprising after the long layoff. It'll take guys a while to find their rhythm at the plate. The Yankees will play the Yankees again tomorrow night and Gerrit Cole will be on the mound. The intrasquad game will air live on the YES Network at 7pm ET. It's fake baseball, ...

July 3rd, 2020: Summer Camp, Minors, What We've Missed, Mailbag

Intake testing is complete and Summer Camp at Yankee Stadium officially begins later today. The Yankees will work out in staggered groups and they'll use all of Yankee Stadium to remain socially distant, so pitchers may do their flat ground work in the Great Hall. "The reason we're here now doesn't change from our goal at the start of Spring Training. We want to be champions," Aaron Boone said ...

June 30th, 2020: 60-Man Roster, Six-Man Rotation, Garcia, 60-Game Stretches, Happ, Holder

Spring Training 2.0 begins this week and it is officially "MLB Summer Camp presented by Camping World," because everything needs a sponsor. To be fair, Camping World sponsors Spring Training, and this is probably how MLB is fulfilling the contract after the shutdown. Today's thoughts? Today's thoughts. Let's get to 'em.

1. 60-man player pool announced. Sunday was the dead...

June 26th, 2020: Return to Play, 60-Man Roster, Free Agents, Judge, Mailbag

Baseball is on the way back and I am weirdly ambivalent about it. I can't wait to watch some games, don't get me wrong, but labor battle fatigue has me feeling relieved more than excited, and of course I'm still worried about the pandemic. Completing this season without a major COVID-19 outbreak would be a massive success. I'm rooting for that more than anything. Let's get to today's thoughts n...

June 23rd, 2020: Return to Play, Spring Training, Wells

In a world without pandemics, the Yankees would have opened a three-game home series with the Orioles last night. It would have been their 79th game of the season, meaning tomorrow's series finale would have been Game No. 81. Midpoint of the season. Instead, we're still waiting for Spring Training to resume. So much baseball lost. Anyway, let's get to today's thoughts. (Sorry for the shorter th...

June 19th, 2020: Expanded Postseason, Undrafted Free Agents, Old Timers' Day, Mailbag

Some of you may know Jay Gordon, who handled the technical side of RAB for years. Jay's wife Betsy ran RAB's Facebook account and was our social media guru for a while. Their dog Rico is having some health problems and they've set up a Go Fund Me to help with the costs. Rico is part of the R...